The Blind Side: Seeing beyond the past and present into the future!

When I first saw the movie poster for ‘The Blind Side’ I knew deep within the innermost recesses of my spirit that I had to see the film. Perhaps it was the dreamy and somewhat determined way that the young, really big, black man sat beside the miniature, blonde haired woman, or it was the fact that I looooooooveeeee Sandra Bullock (and her winning the Oscar did influence my decision a bit lol). Let me also quickly add that I had my reservations as well o! I thought the story line would be one of those stereotyped eccentric-white-woman-helps-troubled-black man ones (which it was…kinda lol). I also thought that perhaps the boy was blind, and maybe Sandra Bullock helped him to regain his sight; hence the name ‘The Blind Side’….yes yes sue me for being a typical naija babe! LOL!

Anyway I digress with all my meaningless chatter:-D.
The introductory monologue delivered at the beginning of the movie in that soothing, almost funny southern twang, enabled me settle in for what turned out to be a great movie. ‘The Blind Side’ is based on the remarkable true story of Baltimore Ravens offensive left tackle Michael Oher (pronounced Oar like in a boat’s oar),played by Quinton Aaron. Michael is a deeply troubled young man who’s been through drama that some people can’t even relate to. Born to a drug addicted, crack head mother and an unknown/absentee father, suffered homelessness, extreme hunger, scarcely educated, lives in the ugliest part of the projects, and is just…well…a recipe for disaster!

On the surface the story is a pretty typical or common one – at least where a good number of poor, black, American people are concerned. The same story of drug addicted, broke, unfit parents, same story of troubled children hauled from one foster home to another, of selling drugs on the street corners, of young men becoming gang bangers, and not living to see their 30th birthdays, or being locked up for the rest of their lives.

Don’t be fooled, that’s not the story of this movie. What’s moving and almost magical is that in the midst of all this ugliness, in the midst of all this despair, God orchestrates events that ensure that Michael is snatched out of the jaws of becoming just another unknown, unheard of statistic in the American system. What starts out as a coach’s wish to have someone his size on his football team, turns out to be a door that literally opens Michael up to quality education, unconditional love from a family he’s never had, and I dare say God!

On an extremely cold and icy night, the Tuohy’s see Michael walking down the street in a threadbare t-shirt, and khakis. After stopping to ask him where he’s going, and discovering that he plans to sleep at the school gym, Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Sandra Bullock) asks (or orders him more like lol) into the car, and into their home. That singular act changes Michael’s life forever. You’ll need to watch the entire movie to see just exactly how.

Sandra Bullock/Leigh Anne Tuohy put up a SPECTACULAR performance; it’s no wonder that she won an Oscar for that role. She was spunky, sensitive, and spectacular all at the same time. Tim Mcgraw/Sean Tuohy was surprisingly good; a bit stiff, but I’d say that he put in a great performance. Michael Oher played by Quinton Aaron was superb. It must be really hard playing the role of a young man who has retreated behind a wall of silence because of all the pain he’s been through, and because all he sees at a particular stage in his life are ‘White Walls’ (see movie for details). However the dude who should have also won an Oscar was Sean Junior Tuohy aka S.J. A hilarious and funny, red haired freckle faced young lad of about 7 or 8 years old played by Jae Head. His honesty, candour, and easy acceptance of Michael Oher just about blew me away; not forgetting his theatrics and extremely smart mouth. I reckon he’s got a bright future in Hollywood.

The movie did it for me, and here’s why. Lee Anne and Sean Tuohy were (are) Christians – not in word only, but in deed. They weren’t perfect, no sireeee!! But they ensured that they brought up their children with open minds, unfettered by racism or the stupid biases that a lot of us are brought up with. They opened their minds to a young man (from another race), and helped him to achieve his God-given potential. Imagine if they had kept on driving home that night? Michael would probably have been dead before his 25th birthday.

Being Christian is less of being happy, clappy judgemental folk, and more about being your brother’s keeper, and helping him when he’s about to go down! That’s what did it for me, and that’s why I had tears in my eyes at the end of the movie. The Tuohy’s didn’t hoard their wealth or try to use it for self aggrandisement; they used it to impact positively on the life of a young man, who has become one of the greatest sporting lights in America. That’s what we should all strive to do – creating possibilities for our fellow man! Like the motto at the school gate said ‘With men this is possible…but with God ALL things are possible’
Selah!